Plan an Autumn Adventure at These 6 Central Texas Pumpkin Patches

Once we pass the Labor Day threshold, we Austinites look forward to (marginally) cooler temperatures, lively fall events like Oktoberfest and Halloween, and the arrival of pumpkin crops at local farms and produce markets. Visiting a pumpkin patch is a surefire way to get into the autumn spirit, especially when said visit comes with family-friendly games, spiced cider, and maybe even a hayride. We’ve rounded up 6 of the best pumpkin patches within 1 hour of Downtown Austin.

Uhland Fall Festival

A pumpkin patch and harvest festival, the Uhland Fall Festival, formerly known as the Dripping Springs Pumpkin Festival, packs a tremendous amount of autumn-themed fun into its annual event. The weekends-only fest kicks off Sept. 26 and runs through Nov. 1 at 2400 Cotton Gin Rd., about 25 miles south of Austin. Admission is $20 ($16.50 if purchased by Sept. 25), with free entry for children under 5 and seniors 65 and older. The festival features a pumpkin market, lawn games, potato sack races, face painting, a petting zoo, live music and pony rides. Food trucks will also be on site serving tacos, burgers, ice cream, beer and wine.

The Uhland Fall Festival features a different lineup each weekend, with seasonal entertainment, interactive shows and family-friendly activities. Sept. 26–27 kicks off with giant bubble activities and the Ultimate Foam Party. Oct. 3–4 brings a Wild West show by the Texas Trick Riders, followed by the Pumpkin Jamboree on Oct. 10–11. Tío Tóto leads an interactive music experience Oct. 17–18, while magician Brad Henderson takes the stage Oct. 24–25. The festival closes Oct. 31–Nov. 1 with butterfly releases at noon and 5 p.m. each day.

Indian Springs Ranch

Just south of Austin in Menchaca, Indian Springs Ranch is a privately owned property that cares for a range of exotic animals — from bison and llamas to zebras and camels. While typically open only for small private tours, the ranch welcomes the public each fall with a seasonal pumpkin patch.

The patch is open Sept. 26 through Nov. 1. Hours are 2-6 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The patch is closed Mondays through Wednesdays, except Oct. 12, when it will be open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Admission is $12 on weekdays and $17 on weekends and includes access to the pumpkin patch, animal encounters and a children’s playground. Weekend admission also includes the inflatable “jumping pillow.”

Guests may bring snacks or picnics, though alcohol is not permitted, or purchase food and drinks on-site. With photo opportunities throughout the grounds and the chance to feed the ranch’s animals, Indian Springs Ranch offers a family-friendly pumpkin patch experience with a wild twist.

Sweet Berry Farm

Marble Falls might be slightly farther a drive, but just head 50 miles northwest of downtown Austin, and you’ll find a quaint working farm with plenty of pumpkins and other fall-ish activities. Sweet Berry Farm will reopen for the autumn season on September 10, and guests are welcome to enter the farmgrounds and take in the beauty of the harvested pumpkins, hay bales, and general Texas-country vibes without paying an admission fee.

Sweet Berry Farm charges a la carte for their on-site activities, which include hayrides for $4 per person (kids under 2 ride for free!), mazes for both kids and adults ($3.75-9/person), pumpkin painting ($5.25/pumpkin), scarecrow stuffing ($19.95/scarecrow kit), and flower picking for $6.50.

Guests are also welcome to bring pumpkins home with them; Sweet Berry Farms sells pumpkins for 65 cents/pound, and you can pick up mini gourds for only $1.50 each. If you’re in need of a scenic drive outside the city and want to bring home a gorgeous gourd for your jack o’lantern purposes, Sweet Berry Farm will set you up nicely.

Mama Mary’s Farm & Pumpkin Patch

Mama Mary’s Farm & Pumpkin Patch really takes the pumpkin thing seriously; the entire property in Creedmoor (a town just 25 minutes southeast of Downtown Austin) is devoted to making the pumpkin patch experience a special one for visitors of all ages. The fall season will begin at Mama Mary’s on September 26, and from then until November 8, you can select the pumpkin of your dreams, give it a customized paint job, take a great seasonal photo in front of one of Mama Mary’s displays, lead the kids through a hay maze, run on a “human hamster wheel”, and grab a bite from one of Mama Mary’s locally-sourced food vendors.

Admission varies depending on age, date, and when you purchase: general-admission tickets for adults during the week (Wednesday-Friday) are $13, but only $10 if you buy online in advance. On the weekend, prices rise to $23/person ($17 if you buy in advance). Kids 2 and under are always free, and the admission costs cover everything except for food, drinks, and take-home pumpkins.

Sweet Eats Adventure Farm

Georgetown, a city north of Austin, is home to Sweet Eats Adventure Farm, a working fruit farm open year-round. Its annual Fall Festival runs Sept. 19 through Nov. 8, with daily hours from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The farm offers extended hours in October for Halloween festivities.

Tickets range from about $20 to $27, depending on the day and whether they are purchased online or at the gate. Admission is free for children younger than 2. Admission covers large-scale autumn activities, including a 4.5-acre corn maze, a 2-acre pumpkin patch, obstacle courses, a petting zoo, pony rides and more. Food trucks are on-site, and pumpkins are available to purchase at 85 cents per pound.

Jenschke Orchards

Thanks to its many wineries, breweries, distilleries and beloved restaurants, Fredericksburg is already a desirable weekend destination for Austinites in need of some time outside of city limits. Jenschke Orchards, a family-friendly fruit farm known for its peaches, opens for the fall season Sept. 18 and runs through Nov. 1. Visitors can purchase pumpkins for 75 cents per pound, explore a corn maze, take pony and wagon rides and visit barnyard animals.